Features

No Complacency

It is a time in the season now where everyone can see clearly what they have got to do"

Kenny Jackett

Kenny Jackett today insisted there is absolutely no danger of any complacency creeping into the Wolves ranks as they aim for a fifth successive victory at battling Stevenage tomorrow (3pm).

The desire to rack up as many points and ind eed goals as possible was highlighted by the post-match words of both the Head Coach and in-form midfielder Kevin McDonald after last weekend’s win against Bradford, both suggesting the team needed to be more ruthless in the closing stages of the game to make their most of their superiority.

It’s a ruthless streak which has generally been in evidence during the four successive wins in which Wolves have scored ten goals and conceded only a penalty against Bristol City.

But Jackett constantly reminds his players that they will always be judged on their next game and not their last one hence the call for complete focus ahead of tomorrow’s game.

“The players know how difficult the games are and how difficult Stevenage are,” he says.

“We had a real tough game at Oldham last week and I think this will be similar to that rather than Bradford where they sat off us for the majority of the game and the onus was on us to attack.

“It is a time in the season now where everyone can see clearly what they have got to do.

“Stevenage are a team fighting at the bottom and fighting very hard to get out of that bottom four.

“They had a great win against Gillingham in the week which puts pressure on the sides above them and they will be wanting to follow that up.

“They have a very good manager who will have them very well organised and I don’t expect any change from that on Saturday.

“They’re fighting for their lives to get out of the bottom four and if you’re looking at the points total and the amount of sides in the relegation battle, they’ll fancy their chances.

“So we won’t be underestimating them or taking them lightly whatsoever.

“But from our point of view, there are many things we’re doing right.

“We want to continue doing that and we have to show a hunger and a desire now to keep pushing on and get one of the automatic promotion places which is what we all want.”

Stevenage boss Graham Westley has called on his side to pass the ball more ahead of tomorrow’s game.

Jackett has revealed that Wolves’ recent improvement in performance levels has seen them up amongst the top three passing teams in the division alongside Swindon and MK Dons.

He has called on the team to continue to aim for that sort of style of play while finding the balance of making sure they also marry that passing game with results.

“Our average passes is around the 350 mark but we have gone over 600 and had 619 against Bradford,” says Jackett.

“It’s close at the top with ourselves, Swindon and MK Dons – it comes from the Prozone stats.

“The one where we consistently come out on top is crosses and throughout the season we’ve been in the top two or three has been shots.

“We do want to pass and play out from the back and be constructive and the players have to get the balance right between being confident and making sure they know what it is all about.

“In recent weeks we have struck that balance pretty well and need to continue to do that.

“Our understanding and our passing is very good.

“Those elements don’t make you wins games; you still have to to get it right in both boxes but it gives you a chance to try to get a foothold in the game and try to gain control of it.

“We have improved and developed in that as the season has gone on.”

Jackett continues: "The players know the stakes and how important it is but it is also about confidence because they need to relax to be able to play their best football.

"The motivation has to be to try and stay in the top two and there can’t be any complacency.

"The points total is going to be very high and if you look at the top four clubs and Rotherham just below they are very good teams and confident teams who want to finish the season well.

"We have improved as a side and as a club but we have to keep that going.

"We can’t let our foot off the accelerator and have to keep putting in those performances that willing to get us where we want to go which is the Championship."

*Wolves have sold out of their allocation for Saturday's game and fans without tickets are urged not to make the journey.